• Apple had its developer database hacked in June 2013,

• In May, 2014 eBay asked all users to change their passwords because of a data breach,

• Target's credit card data exploited during the 2013 Christmas shopping rush, and

• Since 2010 the U.S. Veterans Administration has given up massive amount of sensitive information.

We take the security of your website seriously at interGen

interGen builds websites using the Joomla platform because Joomla offers a world class response to these challenges.   In all three cases above, the organizations were using proprietary software that was not available for peer review in the outside world.

In contrast, Joomla (and the overwhelming majority of the software that runs the internet) is Open Source and available for public review.  If there is a security problem, there is nowhere to hide.  It is there for the world to see.  Any developer on the planet can identify vulnerabilities and recommend solutions.  Within the open source community that provides stewardship for Joomla, solutions are vetted and the cream rises to the top.  The best solutions are implemented and software security is vastly better.

Some of our Security Best Practices

Security is concern for every website, no matter what software you're using. Here are some of the best practices we use to secure your data:

1. Multi-factor Authentication

Joomla was the first Content Management System to offer multi-factor authentication.  We can require anyone who might edit your site to get a yubikey or receive a dynamically generated code from google's 2-factor authentication to login.  If these features seem a little ahead of their time for your needs, you may be right.  However, when you are ready, you can know that the best in security is already built-in to your interGen website.  In fact, we at interGen are already using these tools for our own security procedures.

2. Choose the Best Extensions

Given the large number of extensions available, it is tempting to find the lowest priced extension that provides the features you need.  These are not always the best from a security perspective or written by the most reputable developers.  A significant part of the value that interGen brings to each project is the expertise in vetting the best solutions for a given need.  In fact, we are getting to know many of the extension developers from all over the world.  interGen's president sits on the steering committee for the soon to be re-launched Joomla Resources Directory (yes, we are BIG Joomla fans).  We had a hand in writing the process and providing the screening for developers that want to be included in this official Joomla directory of service providers.

3. Keep Software Up to Date

A big part of interGen's Quality of Service is our scheduled software updates.  A little maintenance on a regular basis saves BIG headaches down the road.  We are experts at that maintenance.  interGen also maintains a regular schedule of backups.  In other words, we do all sorts of stuff to make sure there aren't any problems and then make sure that we are ready in case there are.

Security is concern for every website, and it is an inherently icky topic (just ask Target!).  We work hard every day to provide the best experience of what we feel is the most secure CMS on the planet.

What You Can Do

While security can seem like a big topic best left to the experts, you still play one of the most important roles. In closing, here are a few simple things you can do to improve your own online security.

• Choose good passwords
• Consider a password manager
• Stay informed - online security is a changing landscape.  A little ongoing effort to stay current on best practices can save huge headaches trying is much easier than trying to recover after the fact.